Wolves fell into the bottom three of the second tier for the first time since October 1999 after Barnsley’s 2-1 win over them last night at Oakwell – the Tykes’ eighth win in nine – took them over Saunders’ faltering side.

Players ran a gauntlet of abuse from the 999 away fans at the final whistle who chanted ‘Are you watching Steve Morgan?’ at the club’s owner-chairman, who missed last night’s game.

They are two points below the safety line but have played a game more than fourth-bottom Huddersfield after Bjorn Sigurdarson’s seventh-minute opener was cancelled out after the break by Chris Dagnall and substitute Jacob Mellis.

A year ago, Wolves dropped into the Premier League drop zone after the 5-1 defeat to Albion, but they find themselves in danger of a second successive relegation, having fallen 24 places.

Wolves, who produced their best 45 minutes under Saunders in the first half last night, have gone 11 games without a win – with Saunders in charge of the last seven, which have yielded just four points.

Their current run is the club’s worst outside the top flight since a club record 19 games without a win from December 1984 to April 1985 under Tommy Docherty during the Bhatti era – the last time Wolves were relegated from the second tier.

The manager now has 13 games – the same as Terry Connor was given 12 months ago – to save Wolves’ season, and admitted things must change quickly.

“We don’t want to be in the bottom three,” said Saunders. “It’s really sickening, a kick in the teeth.

“Hopefully reality hits home because I’ve been trying to drum it into the players since I got here: ‘Don’t think it can’t happen to you’.

“I’ve been telling them if I was a supporter I’d be wanting to make sure they realise what the situation at the club is.

“I’ve got to put an end to it and get the mentality right. I’ve explained to them there are lots of consequences if we don’t stay in this league and it would be a disaster for the club.”

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Terry George

February 20, 2013 14:07

I think we find ourselves in this position mainly because of the inept decisions taken at executive level since and including the sacking of big Mick.I loved Mick but it was obvious he couldn't take us any farther when we sayed in the prem by default after losing the last game to blackburn at the end of the 2010-2011 season and he should have been thanked for his services and changed then or at least before the following January window but to sack him when they did as a knee jerk reaction to the horrific defeat to Albion without a clue between them as to who else was available was rediculous and amateurish to say the least.Then to give the job to Terry Connor (though he is to be respected for his loyalty to the club)appeared to be mainly a cheap option and last resort as he had never been a manager before and was indeed part of the problem anyway followed by stale who had never managed in England and was unproven in this country was equally rediculous.Deano seems to have a bit more about him but he has got a monumental job on his hands because of the low morale and lack of confidence of the players that has been the result of the whole debacle but with our new signings I hope that we can stay up and then rebuild for next season.Lets hope that a new stand wont be cause of our downfall again and lets not base our buisness plan around failure again or I think that is what we will ge.Instead lets continue to back our manager and spend some of money on the team and plan for success.I am 59 years old and am a life long fan from when my father took me to the match as a child when they used to pass me over their heads to the front so that I could sit on the wall by the side of the pitch to see and I hate to see my club in the position they are in now so here's hoping that we can move forward now and good luck to Deano and the lads and hope we will soon have something to cheer about.

WestLondoner

Fur I Ous

February 20, 2013 15:20

Cannot believe a chairman who runs such a successful construction company can let wolves get in this position. He was given a club for £10 no debt a good young squad, an experienced manager in Mick McCarthy great fan base and in such a short time we are back to the bad old days. Mobley must be paid on the profits of the club so it is no wonder he sells the Crown Jewels and replaces them with imitations. Get real or get out.

ChrisR

February 20, 2013 16:54

I come back to the debacle of last season and the decision of Alan Curbishley not to persue the managers job any further after he talked with Moxey and Morgan siting "Differences in the long-term vision for the club". We not know that what he was saying is they wanted someone to run the club on a shoestring and just stay up!

White Feather

February 20, 2013 17:06

In Victorian times people who received a white feather were classed as COWARDS for not facing up to their responsibilities so I am sending one to each of the following:

MORGAN - You made the decisions, regardless of whose advice you took, to hire and fire managers you are top of the list you are a COWARD of the highest order. Do not state you are a a builder therfore you need experts advice YOU decided to hire and fire.

MOXEY - What can one say that has not already been said about you. You deserve one as much as the owner

THE BOARD - Can none of you stand up and be counted ???? You pathetic lot

THE FIRST TEAM SQUAD - Every single one of you ! For what you get paid you have no excuses whatsoever

Maybe just maybe some may take up the gauntlet and return it by saving this once proud club. PLease feel free to give them my email address and let them face me. and the rest rest of the fans they have stabbed in the back.

Ancientwolf

February 20, 2013 17:42

Totally understand the frustrations of some of travelling fans, but mindlessly abusing our own players will crush what little morale remains and is totally counterproductive. For better or for worse, I urge us all to get behind the team 100% and to cut out the abuse. There will be plenty of time for recriminations if we go down (and I've seen it all before). Right now, we need to give our players some confidence with our full support, whether you think they all deserve it or not.

jamie

February 20, 2013 20:58

the club is slowly falling apart and this is really hard to watch as a wolves fan but what we need to do now is get rid of the players that don't care for the club and just want the money and start again so we can be the big club that we are meant to be!!! also steve morgan doesn't care for the club otherwise he would have got us a well known manager with experience rather than the cheap option so the sooner he is gone the better! one final thing is that we could have spent the money we spent on the stand on players last season and then maybe we would have still been in the prem!!!

Andy

February 20, 2013 22:56

The worst thing that idiot could of done was sack mick mcarthy, only manager to take us to the prem and keep us there for good couple season more then anyone else has done in the last 20+ year and to kick him in the theeth by sacking him! Yea we mighy of went down anyway but we wouldnt of been in the position we are in now if mick was still manager or someone who has a least half an idea of knowing what there doing! Selling player is part of the game but selling your best ones and not replaceing them is another reason why the clubs in this situation

Wolves

February 20, 2013 22:57

Players to blame foley backs off every game then watches the goals ,Henry can't bring ball forward ,Doyle Ebanks Blake strikers that can't score Berra waste of time clear out get players proud to wear the shirt ,

Chirk shrew

Dave

February 21, 2013 08:56

I am going to once again repeat what has gone wrong at this club,

1 - Mick. At the end of the Blackburn game when we stayed up by a goal, MM should have walked off the pitch, head held high and proud as the most succesfull Wolves manager in decades. He should have celebrated with the team and board. The next morning he should have gone to work and resigned, realising he had gone as far as he could.

He got so much of of these players, as proved now, but was never going to get more.

2 - Stand. This was a disater waiting to happen. I can find quotes from me 2 years ago saying John Ireland 2. And i am proved right. What a total and utter waste of money. We already had a new ish stadium, just fill in the corners. Thats all we needed to do.

3 - Stale - Whos idea was that?? Never managed in UK. Had destroyed a German team full of German internationals, and sent them down. Why did we decide he would do better here???

4 - Lack of investment. We must look at similar sized prem clubs to see where we should be. Stoke i think are a great bench mark. Yes there football is not pretty but each year they buy players of prem class. Good quality hard working players. Not Irish guys who will hopefully make a difference.

5 - DOYLE. My biggest moan. Why this guy is still in the squad let alone team is beyond me. He falls over alot, and moans alot but thats about it, what does he bring to this team. NOTHING.